Cook Is. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Cook Islands | 
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|
 |
| Introduction | Cook Islands |
| Background: |
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. |
| Geography | Cook Islands |
| Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
21 14 S, 159 46 W |
| Map
references: |
Oceania |
| Area: |
total: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 240 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
120 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; moderated by trade winds |
| Terrain: |
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific
Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m |
| Natural
resources: |
NEGL |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04% other: 69.57% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons (November to March) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of
the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives |
| People | Cook Islands |
| Population: |
20,811 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
NA% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000 population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population |
| Sex
ratio: |
NA |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9% |
| Religions: |
Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church) |
| Languages: |
English (official), Maori |
| Literacy: |
definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Government | Cook Islands |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands |
| Dependency
status: |
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands |
| Government
type: |
self-governing parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: |
Avarua |
| Administrative
divisions: |
none |
| Independence: |
none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) |
| National
holiday: |
Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) |
| Constitution: |
4 August 1965 |
| Legal
system: |
based on New Zealand law and English common law |
| Suffrage: |
NA years of age; universal adult |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN
(since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since NA), representative
of New Zealand elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Robert WOONTON (since 12 February 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey HENRY (since 12 February 2002) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Parliament (25
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA June 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 12, DAP 12, NAP 1 note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers |
| Judicial
branch: |
High Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) |
| Flag
description: |
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag |
| Economy | Cook Islands |
| Economy
- overview: |
Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 17%
industry: 8% services: 75% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
8,000 (1996) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 29%, industry
15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
13% (1996) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est. ) |
| Industries: |
fruit processing, tourism, fishing |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
24 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
22.32 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry |
| Exports: |
$9.1 million (2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing |
| Exports
- partners: |
Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000) |
| Imports: |
$50.7 million (2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000) |
| Debt
- external: |
$141 million (1996 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$13.1 million (1995); note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) |
| Currency: |
New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
| Currency
code: |
NZD |
| Exchange
rates: |
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
| Communications | Cook Islands |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
5,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
0 (1994) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
14,000 (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
4,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ck |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
3 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
NA |
| Transportation | Cook Islands |
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 320 km (1992)
paved: NA unpaved: NA |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Avarua, Avatiu |
| Airports: |
7 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
| Military | Cook Islands |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request |
| Transnational Issues | Cook Islands |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
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